A construction injury lawyer represents workers who have been injured on construction sites. At the very least, a construction injury lawyer can help those dealing with a construction-related injury understand their legal options. More importantly, they ensure those injured receive the compensation they deserve to move forward with their lives.
If you’re dealing with a long-standing construction injury, even if time has passed since the accident, visiting an experienced construction injury lawyer can help you weigh your legal options. By visiting, you will know where you stand, and depending on the time that has passed, you may receive a favorable outcome.
How is this possible?
In Maine, construction workers injured have up to six years to file a personal injury claim. For those who have been injured, Maine’s unique personal injury laws and regulations are some of the most generous in the country. If you are hurt on the job due to someone else’s fault, and you’re dealing with a long-standing construction injury, Maine’s statute of limitations, in nearly all circumstances, allows six years from the date of the injury for you to file a personal injury claim. If your injury happens while working for a government agency, your claim must be filed within 180 days after the accident, and if the claim cannot be resolved before that time, then up to two years to file a lawsuit.
Determining fault for your injury affects the compensation you are eligible to receive. Maine uses a comparative fault system that assigns a percentage of the blame. If both sides are partially at fault, you, the plaintiff, will only receive compensation proportionate to the fault assessed to you. This means that if it’s determined that the construction company was 80% to blame for the accident that caused your injury and you were 20% responsible, then you would only be eligible to receive compensation for 80% of the damages caused by the accident. More importantly, to receive any compensation, you must also be able to prove that you were 49% or less at fault for the accident—50% or higher and you are not eligible for compensation.
How A Construction Injury Lawyer Can Help
A construction injury lawyer’s expertise is in personal injury law. They will help you understand your legal rights and options, even if time has passed since the accident, and evaluate honestly to determine if you have a valid compensation claim. If so, filing a claim must be done following the correct procedure. An experienced construction injury lawyer will be there to correctly navigate the legal system on your behalf.
Moving forward, your lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation to gather evidence related to the accident. Because construction sites often involve multiple crews working onsite simultaneously, your lawyer has to identify the parties responsible for your injuries—the contractor, one of the subcontractors, an equipment manufacturer, or the property owner.
If you are suffering from a long-standing construction injury, then your construction injury lawyer is in a good position to calculate the full extent of your damages. This would include the current medical expenses, lost wages, and any long-term or permanent disabilities resulting from the injury and the pain and suffering you’ve endured. They can also accurately calculate future medical needs and economic losses.
Perhaps one of the prime advantages of hiring an experienced construction injury lawyer is the experience with similar cases that that lawyer can offer you. He or she will fully understand this area of law and be familiar with successful strategies that will support your claim. That experience also means the skills required to negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company’s lawyers to ensure you do not receive a low settlement. A lawyer can represent you in court if a fair settlement cannot be reached through negotiation.
If you are dealing with a long-standing construction injury, one that’s set you back physically, financially, and emotionally, you owe it to yourself and your family to weigh your legal options. It begins with a conversation, and the initial one at Hardy, Wolf & Downing is free. Call and make an appointment. One of our experienced construction injury lawyers will sit with you and discuss your case inside and out. If you hire us, we will fight to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries. For more information, contact Hardy, Wolf & Downing to learn how we can help.